Magnetic resonance imaging: applications of novel methods in studies of porous media.

NMR imaging is finding broad applications in nonbiological areas including the study of fluid flow and fluid ingress in porous media. The porous media include at the one end mineral rocks and various building materials through various solid plastic materials to foodstuffs at the other end of the spectrum. The fluids within these various media range from crude oil and water mixtures, and water itself, to a range of organic solvents in plastic materials. This paper is concerned with the flow and ingress of water through Bentheimer sandstone and Ninian reservoir specimens, and also in solid nylon blocks.